Randonneurs Ontario: Maple-Orillia 200K (2004) Ride Report

First Brevet Experience

Story by Eli Brettler

I don't drive and have always used a bicycle for transportation. For the past seven years I have been doing recreational riding and the last two summers experimented with loaded touring. I managed Toronto to Montreal the first year and then last year completed a tour from Montreal south through the Champlain Valley and across Middlebury Gap.

After knowing about the Randonneurs for many years, I joined this Spring. The Barrie Orillia brevet date has been marked on my calendar since March. Having completed 160 km to Belfountain, including the ride to and from Maple, I thought myself ready for the brevet. I had managed 160 to 170 km a few times previously. I was as I discovered, nonetheless, somewhat nervous. Early last week, I started to question whether I had been training properly. Eventually, I decided to let go of my nervousness, and aside from incessant checking of the weather forecasts, appeared successful.

I left Maple with the second group, Ann Pokocky, Paul Dicks and Greg Aman, and stayed with them to Bradford just north of the Holland Marsh. The pace was just a bit faster than I comfortably handle and the decision was made that they would head out ahead to complete the brevet while I would go alone to Barrie and then turn back. The weather was beyond miserable so this entailed no loss of honor. I would have had a day's total of around 170 km, a respectable distance, as consolation for not completing the brevet. The calculation (as it correctly turned out) was were they to keep my pace, they would finish after dark. I didn't want to hold them back. They headed out and I followed the route on my own. I stopped briefly to check the cue sheet and Ken Dobb, who had ducked out to avoid some rain, rolled by. He asked if I was with the Randonneur ride, confirmed that I was headed in the correct direction, and we started out together on the final leg to Barrie.

I was feeling strong, and Ken was very reassuring as to my riding abilities. I was harboring thoughts of trying to complete the brevet. I felt entitled and this feeling of entitlement was every bit as strong as any desire to be sensible and return home directly from Barrie. I was appropriately dressed, with new rain pants I had bought after being miserable and wet the previous Sunday, and some additional winter riding gear I had decided at the last moment to take along. I even packed an extra undershirt, which Ken eventually wore and which may have made some difference in is his being warm enough to successfully complete the brevet. Ken knew the route and freed of navigation responsibilities, I could concentrate on cycling. When the time came for a parting of the ways in Barrie, I asked if we could push on together. We made it to the Carthew Bay General Store with about 40 minutes to spare.

For the return to Maple, there was a change in the weather. The winds and rain mostly held back. Major credit for my having completed the brevet goes to Ken. I learned from him to just lock in to my own pace and concentrate, keeping in mind the time available. We rode "together, alone". Sometimes I hung on to his back wheel but most of the time I rode a bit ahead and though we mostly remained in sight of one another, each of us maintained our individual focus. I purposely limited how much I checked the time. It was enough to know that if we stayed on track we would make it back just under the limit. We were on Jane south of Highway 9 when darkness descended. It was foggy and I felt like I was like riding in a cocoon. I followed the thin white line and, aside from one premature right turn onto what I had hoped would be Keele, had no trouble finding my way. We arrived at 9:15, with just 15 minutes to spare.

Some years ago, I used to run into Mike Meraw, and I found him an appealing and inspiring character. We last crossed paths on his 70th birthday, which he had chosen to celebrate on his bike. He talked about randonneuring and explained to me how it required knowing ones abilities and ones limitations and that to successfully complete a ride required a strategy based on the constraints. He did not see randonneuring as necessarily a young person's sport because as he explained, it demands maturity. I am 57 and what I learned from Mike made a difference in my deciding to risk joining the club.

I feel strong today. The experience of completing yesterday's brevet was empowering and I am looking forward to many more successful rides. My body feels fine and I managed a short ride to work without any stress. I am certainly enjoying the accolades I have been receiving.